This invention relates to the collection and disposal of solid animal waste (feces), especially solid waste generated by pet animals such as dogs.
It is believed that in most cases solid waste produced by pet dogs is collected by means of a small shovel. The shovel is then emptied into a container for disposal. The process requires that the shovel be cleaned of any waste residue. Often the shovel is only partially cleaned, so that the partially cleaned shovel presents a sanitation problem for the dog (animal) owner.
The present invention provides a garment that can be worn on a person's hand for collecting and containerizing the solid waste in a single operation; the collected waste does not have to be transferred from the garment to another container for disposal purposes. This feature eliminates the sanitation problem, in that the collecting device does not have to be cleaned; the collecting device is an integral part of a disposable container for the solid waste.
In carrying out the invention, the garment is designed so as to include a glove adapted to be worn on a person's hand, and a bag extending from the glove for disposition around the person's forearm. After the person has picked up the solid waste in the glove, the bag can be turned inside out to enclose the glove and solid waste. The person can then remove the glove from his hand and secure the bag in a closed position, using two tie strips provided at the mouth of the bag.
The garment is preferably formed out of a low cost plastic film material having a film thickness of only about 0.002 inch. After the bag has been secured in the closed condition around the solid waste, the entire garment can be thrown away immediately, or stored for a short time and then thrown away. In preferred practice of the invention, a pouch containing a sanitizer pad is secured to the bag so that when the solid waste is removed from a carpet or other surface the sanitizer pad can be used to remove residues from the surface, the sanitizer pad can be thrown into the bag for disposal with the solid waste.
Specific features of the invention will be apparent from the attached drawings and description of a particular embodiment of the invention.